Join English Heritage
Home
We get a lot of questions about Castle Fields! On this page, you should find answers to any questions about the Castle Fields campaign, and about our Sponsor a Square appeal. Added:
Deleted: If you don’t find an answer here, you are welcome to get in touch with us and we’ll try to help.
Castle Fields campaign background
Castle Fields is the piece of land on the hill immediately to the east of Berkhamsted Castle, alongside New Road in Berkhamsted, Hertfordshire.
There are so many reasons! But most importantly:
- it’s a historically significant site, right next to a Scheduled Ancient Monument (Berkhamsted Castle)
- it’s one of Berkhamsted’s finest pieces of green space
- If we don’t save it, Castle Fields may be redeveloped for housing
Berkhamsted Castle Trust (Registered Charity 1176286) has purchased the Castle Fields land with a philanthropic loan and is running the fundraising appeal to pay back the loan. BCT has support from the local authority and local societies/groups including:
- Berkhamsted Citizens Association
- Berkhamsted Local History and Museum Society (BLHMS)
- Berkhamsted Town Council
- Castle Fields Interest Group
- Dacorum Heritage Trust
- Eco Berko
We have been given a loan of £500k from a local benefactor for a period of two years. Payment for the fields was made on 3rd September 2025. The loan is interest-free for 2 years.
Further sums will be needed to pay for land management and environmental improvement works.
This appeal is being funded independently of English Heritage. English Heritage manages the Berkhamsted Castle site on behalf of the Duchy of Cornwall, and have entered into a Local Management Agreement whereby the Castle Trust manages the Castle on a day-to-day basis, with the help of some 45 volunteers. Independently, the Castle Trust also owns the field containing the outer earthworks of the Castle on the eastern side, acquired in 2017. The Castle Fields site has been acquired by the Castle Trust entirely independently of English Heritage.
We do have a separate, longer-term scheme to enhance the ancient Deer Park. This is a much larger area which extends north of the Castle, and Castle Fields is just a small part of this area. The Castle Fields appeal is specifically about Berkhamsted Castle Trust acquiring the 30 acres of field to the east of Berkhamsted Castle. We would not at this stage be seeking to acquire more land for the Deer Park, but we would work with existing landowners to improve pathways and wayfinding.
No. There is a separate project creating a SANG (Suitable Accessible Natural Green Space) at Castle Hill, a short distance from Berkhamsted Castle. This is unconnected to Berkhamsted Castle Trust. SANGs are being created by Dacorum Borough Council and Natural England to provide improved access to the countryside. It is projected that visitor numbers will increase as a result of new housing developments elsewhere in the local area, and it is hoped that SANGs will ease pressure on popular sites such as Ashridge by encouraging people to use different access points to enjoy the countryside. Berkhamsted Castle Trust will however work closely with other organisations to aim for a joined-up visitor experience across these separate schemes.
More about the proposed SANG site: planning.dacorum.gov.uk
No. The National Trust are working on a separate project to protect the ancient woodland at Ashridge by reconfiguring visitor access. They predict that visitor numbers will increase as a result of new housing developments elsewhere in the local area. The NT plan to ease pressure on certain popular areas by encouraging visitors to spread over a wider area. This scheme is not connected to Berkhamsted Castle Trust.
More information: www.nationaltrust.org.uk
Berkhamsted Castle Trust’s vision for Castle Fields is focused on conservation with low-key enhancements to the visitor experience. We aim to preserve and enhance the natural environment of Castle Fields, and will seek to highlight the site’s history through unobtrusive signage and interpretation.
Yes. Public access was restored when Berkhamsted Castle Trust acquired the Fields, and we are seeking to have the existing paths designated as Public Rights of Way.
If we cannot pay off the loan in full after September 2027, any outstanding sum owed would accrue 10% interest per annum until repaid. As a last resort, this could trigger the sale of the remaining unsecured land only, although other options and partnerships would be strenuously pursued before taking this drastic step.
We’d love to hear from you! We hope to team up with individuals, families, schools, clubs or workplaces to raise money for Castle Fields.
We need to raise awareness as much as possible to help raise the £500k. If you can tell friends and family about the campaign, it would be a great help.
Please follow us on social media, Like and Share our posts with your friends. For donors we also supply photo cards available at Berkhamsted Castle for you to pick up and take pictures of your space and promote on social media.
Follow Berkhamsted Castle:
We have a friendly and enthusiastic team of volunteers who are the driving force in running the campaign, but we can always do with some extra help.
We need support:
- Helping at Castle events
- Staffing our High Street market stall
- Distributing flyers & posters
- Liaising with local businesses and grant-awarding bodies
– If you would like to help please email enquiries@berkhamstedcastle.org.uk
If your question hasn’t been answered here, you are welcome to get in touch with us, and we’ll do our best to respond to your query. We also welcome suggestions for expanding these FAQs.
Donations and sponsoring a space
Your support helps the Trust:
- Repay the loan used to buy Castle Fields
- Protect the land for nature and the community
- Manage and maintain the site responsibly
You’re directly helping safeguard a historic landscape.
Your £39 donation helps Berkhamsted Castle Trust protect Castle Fields for nature, wildlife, and future generations.
As a thank you, you’re given a symbolic 3m x 3m “space” on the map, shown using a what3words location.
It’s a fun way to visualise the difference you’re making — but it’s not a purchase of land.
With over 14k spaces needing to be sold to surpass our £500k target to repay the load and save all of castle fields. Note the interactive map raises more than the £500k to help fund management of the land going forward.
No — and that’s important. As per the terms and conditions, your space is symbolic, meaning:
- You don’t own the land
- You don’t get legal rights or control
- You can’t sell or transfer it
- You don’t get exclusive access
- You’re supporting conservation, not buying property.
Yes — any amount is welcome and makes a big difference.
Donations under £39 don’t receive an individual space, but they’re combined with others to create Community Sponsored spaces.
Larger donations simply sponsor more spaces.
For example:
- £78 = 2 spaces
- £100 = 2 spaces + £22 toward a Community Sponsored space
For those sponsoring 1-9 spaces you are at Supporter level, 10-24 spacers a Castle Fields Champion and 25+ a Castle Fields Ambassador.
If you sponsor multiple spaces, the Trust will try to place them next to each other where possible.
These are special supporter tiers:
- £390–£974 → Castle Fields Champion (10–24 spaces)
- £975+ → Castle Fields Ambassador (25+ spaces)
Your status appears on the campaign map.
Your sponsored spaces are randomly assigned within the campaign area. Once you have donated you receive your what3words location, it can’t be swapped or changed.
You’re welcome to visit the general area as long as it’s publicly accessible and safe.
However:
- You might not be able to reach your exact square
- You must follow countryside rules
- You can’t dig, disturb the land, or leave items
- Metal detecting is not allowed
All visits are at your own risk.
Yes, if you wish to change the name or message shown on your saved space on the map you can, simply email SaveCastleFields@berkhamstedcastle.org.uk